How Do You Like Your Steak?

What has steak got to do with Dark Chocolate Brownies? Well it's an easy question to answer

Blue Rare Medium Rare Medium Medium Well Well.

If asked this question you can normally answer quickly and easily. The best way is obviously the way you like it, what's is best for the steak is debatable.

However if I asked you

How do you like your brownie?

The question may take a little longer to answer? There are 3 brownie camps, pardon the pun:

Cakey brownie

(a cake like fluffier brownie with more flour and a raising agent added and usually less chocolate)

Chewy brownie

(big crunch on the outside and chewy to taste with a rich chocolatey flavour)

Fudgey brownie

(rich gooey middle slight crunch on the outside, very chocolatey)

So which would it be? Brownie Heaven has always been about the Fudgey type with loads of dark Belgium chocolate creating a rich chocolatey gooey middle. More recently we've been experimenting with creating chewy brownies replacing golden caster sugar with some granulated creates a chewy texture. Still the same chocolate hit but a lot more resistance to the bite. These can be fun and as delicious as the fudgey ones. For us the cakey type of brownie is just that cake and as we specialise in brownies it's more about the chocolate experience, so a lighter cakey brownie is probably a route we will not take.

It was a recent review of Brownie Heaven by a notable Modern Family Life blogger Mummy Loves......... that inspired this article, as Sonia, who writes the great blog, was expecting a cakey texture and lighter bite. However the family really enjoyed the baked delights.

How to Bake amazing Brownies

A collection of tips we have compiled, lots of our customers love to bake so we thought we'd share some tips:

Chocolate Use the best quality chocolate you can find, we use a 72% Cocoa Butter Dark Chocolate from Belgium we have also tried 85% and also Willy's 99% the higher the cocoa content the richer the brownie. Don't forget you will be adding butter and sugar so this can work to create a sweeter and creamier taste than just dark chocolate alone. You can use a Milk Chocolate but this will only water down the chocolatey taste as Milk Chocolate has a lower cocoa content and other added ingredients. For us the more chocolate you can add to the mix the better.

Butter Always use the finest unslated butter you can find. Margarine is not good for brownies it will taint the flavour of the brownie and will not help in creating a Fudgey type of brownie.

Sugar Caster sugar is best for Fudgey brownies, however dark muscavado sugar can be used and will add a different taste almost rum like in flavour. Also some recipes call for golden syrup, this is for added texture and chew. Also using some granulated singer will add crunch and chewiness as it has a higher melting temperature.

To Flour or Not to Flour Flour in brownie mixes is used to bind the ingredients together, we use a patisserie plain flour without raising agents otherwise we'd end up with cake. It's also possible to bake brownies without flour, but they will need some form of binding agent a gluten free rice flour will work fine. Instead of flour we like to use either ground almonds, ground hazelnuts or desiccated coconut instead of flour which all have advantages of adding different flavours to the brownie.

Baking Cook in a medium about 150-160 Degrees C for great fudginess the brownies are done just as the edge of the brownie starts to move away from the edge of the tin. If you place a skewer in the middle it will come out coated in a little brownie. Cooking times are dependant on how much you are making.

A great GOOEY Brownie Recipe

Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees C or Gas Mark 4. Add the butter and chocolate into a bowl and heat over a simmering pan until melted stirring constantly.

Set up an electric mixer and add the eggs and sugar on a slow mix, then slowly add the melted chocolate and butter. Once added spoon in the flour and cocoa. Allow the mixer to combine all the ingredients.

Grease a 10x6 baking tray with unsalted butter, pour in the mix and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Check after 25 minutes if the brownie still wobbles it will need another 5 minutes. If you try the skewer test it should come out caked in goo! The top will have a light crust and the sides should just be coming away from the tin. Leave in the tin until cold and then cut into squares 4cm x 4cm, which can be served cold or warmed slightly in the microwave for 15 seconds for each brownie.

Alternatively you could just order the most amazing brownies online via this site.

I bought this heart shaped brownie for a Valentines gift and it did not disappoint! It comes in a lovely presentation box which is q nice touch. We are still eating it now as it is massive and its just as soft and sqidgy as it was on the day! Throughly recommended.